Ventura

NO. 113 SITE OF JUNÍPERO SERRA'S CROSS - The first cross on the hill known as 'La Loma de la Cruz,' or the Hill of the Cross, was erected by Junípero Serra at the founding of the Mission San Buenaventura on March 31, 1782. This was the ninth and last mission founded by Father Serra in California. Location: Grant Park, at end of Ferro Dr, Ventura

NO. 114 OLD MISSION RESERVOIR - Part of the mission water system for Mission San Buenaventura, this was the settling tank or receiving reservoir from which water was distributed to the church and to the few Spanish families who lived near the mission. Location: Eastwood Park, N of Valdez Alley, 115 E Main St, Ventura Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-75000496

NO. 114-1 SAN BUENAVENTURA MISSION AQUEDUCT - The aqueduct at Canada Larga Road is two surviving sections of viaduct about 100 feet long and made of cobble stone and mortar. Originally, the watercourse ran from a point on the Ventura River about 1/2 mile north of the remaining ruins and carried the water to holding tanks behind the San Buenaventura Mission, a total of about 7 miles. The aqueduct was built by Chumash Indians 1805-15 to meet the needs of the mission population and consisted of both ditches and elevated stone masonry. The entire water system was destroyed by floods and abandoned in 1862. Location: 234 Canada Larga Rd, Ventura Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-75000497

NO. 115 OLIVAS ADOBE - Continuous use has preserved this adobe, the only early two-story adobe in the Santa Clara Valley. A small one-story adobe built in 1837 was enlarged in 1849 by Don Raimundo Olivas, a prosperous cattle rancher. Location: 4200 Olivas Park, Ventura Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-79000570

NO. 310 MISSION SAN BUENAVENTURA - This mission, established in 1782, was the ninth and the last to be dedicated by Father Junípero Serra. The first chapel and church were destroyed, the present mission church was begun in 1793 and completed in 1809. Location: 210 E Main St at Figueroa, Ventura Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-75000496

NO. 553 RANCHO CAMULOS - On January 22, 1839, Governor Juan Alvarado granted the 48,815-acre Rancho San Francisco to Antonio del Valle. Jacoba Feliz filed a claim against this grant that was dismissed on June 8, 1857. The Del Valle family chose to live on the Rancho at Camulos, later known as the Home of Ramona. Location: On State Hwy 126 (P.M. 30.6), 2.2 mi E of Piru Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-96001137

NO. 624 WARRING PARK - On August 11, 1769, the explorers and priests accompanying Portolá found a populous village of Piru Indians near this point. Carrying their bowstrings loose, the Indians offered necklaces of stones, in exchange for which Portolá presented them with beads. Location: Warring Park, 700 block of Orchard St, Piru

NO. 659 STAGECOACH INN - Originally located some 200 yards to the north, the Stagecoach Inn was built in 1876. Its redwood lumber came by sea and was freighted up the steep Conejo Grade by multiteam wagons. From 1887 to 1901, the hotel served as a regular depot for the Coast Stage Line, which carried both passengers and mail. In 1965 it was moved to its present location. Location: 51 S Ventu Park Rd, Newbury Park Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-75000495

NO. 727 PORTOLÁ EXPEDITION - On August 11, 1769, the Portolá Expedition arrived at the junction of the Arroyo Mupu and Santa Paula Creek, at a place they named the Holy Martyrs Ipolito and Cassiano. The priests of the Mission San Buenaventura here established the Asistencia Santa Paula, where they held services for the Mupu Indians. Location: Santa Paula Boys Club Recreation Center, 1400 block of Harvard Blvd, Santa Paula

NO. 756 SYCAMORE TREE - In 1846 General John C. Frémont passed this sycamore tree on his way to sign a treaty with General Andrés Pico to secure California for annexation to the United States. The tree has served as a resting place, a polling place, a temporary post office, and an outdoor chapel. Location: On State Hwy 126 (P.M. 16.7) at Hall Rd, 4 mi E of Santa Paula

NO. 847 VENTURA COUNTY COURTHOUSE - The courthouse was designed in 1910 by one of the early pioneers of architecture in Southern California-Albert C. Martin, Sr. Dedicated in July 1913, the structure is an outstanding example of neoclassic architecture, a style prevalent in the United States at the turn of the century. The courthouse is an extremely well-proportioned building, and is rich in detail and materials not likely to be found elsewhere in the Southern California area. Location: 501 Poli St. at N California St, Ventura Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-71000211

NO. 939 Twentieth Century Folk Art Environments (Thematic)-GRANDMA PRISBREY'S BOTTLE VILLAGE - This fantastic assemblage is one of California's remarkable Twentieth Century Folk Art Environments. In 1956, Tressa Prisbrey, then nearly 60 years old, started building a fanciful 'village' of shrines, walkways, sculptures, and buildings from recycled items and discards from the local dump. She worked for 25 years creating one structure after another to house her collections. Today, Bottle Village is composed of 13 buildings and 20 sculptures. Location: 4595 Cochran St, Simi Valley

NO. 979 RANCHO SIMI - This is the site of the headquarters of the Spanish Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi. The name derives from 'Shimiji,' the name of the Chumash village here before the Spanish. At 113,000 acres, Rancho Simi was one of the state's largest land grants. Two prominent Spanish and Mexican family names are connected with the Rancho: Santiago Pico who first received the grant, and José de la Guerra who purchased the Rancho in 1842. Two rooms of original adobe remain, part of the Strathearn home built in 1892-93. Location: Robert P Strathearn Historical Park, 137 Strathearn Place, Simi Valley Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-78000825

NO. 996 UNION OIL COMPANY BUILDING - The Santa Paula Hardware Company Building, more commonly referred to as the Union Oil Company Building, is significant for its historical importance as the birthplace of the Union Oil Company on October 17,1890. The building continued to serve as a field division office after the main headquarters moved to Los Angeles in 1900. In 1950 the Union Oil Museum was established and in 1990, for its Centennial Celebration, the building was restored to its original appearance and reopened as a new state-of-the-art oil museum. Location: 1003 E Main St, Santa Paula Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-86002619